Lessons for September 23, 2007 – Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost The first lesson Amos 8:4-7 Listen to this, you who rob the poor and trample the needy! [5] You can't wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless. You measure out your grain in false measures and weigh it out on dishonest scales. [6] And you mix the wheat you sell with chaff swept from the floor! Then you enslave poor people for a debt of one piece of silver or a pair of sandals. [7] Now the Lord has sworn this oath by his own name, the Pride of Israel: "I will never forget the wicked things you have done! (NLT) Psalm 113 L. Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord! C. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever and ever. L. Everywhere—from east to west—praise the name of the Lord. C. For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is far greater than the heavens. L. Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? C. Far below him are the heavens and the earth. L. He stoops to look, and he lifts the poor from the dirt and the needy from the garbage dump. C. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! L. He gives the barren woman a home, so that she becomes a happy mother. C. Praise the Lord! (NLT) The second lesson 1 Timothy 2:1-7 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them, and give thanks. [2] Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. [3] This is good and pleases God our Savior, [4] for he wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. [5] For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus. [6] He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message that God gave to the world at the proper time. [7] And I have been chosen—this is the absolute truth—as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles about faith and truth. (NLT) The Gospel Lesson Luke 16:1-13 Jesus told this story to his disciples: "A rich man hired a manager to handle his affairs, but soon a rumor went around that the manager was thoroughly dishonest. [2] So his employer called him in and said, 'What's this I hear about your stealing from me? Get your report in order, because you are going to be dismissed.' [3] "The manager thought to himself, 'Now what? I'm through here, and I don't have the strength to go out and dig ditches, and I'm too proud to beg. [4] I know just the thing! And then I'll have plenty of friends to take care of me when I leave!' [5] "So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, 'How much do you owe him?' [6] The man replied, 'I owe him eight hundred gallons of olive oil.' So the manager told him, 'Tear up that bill and write another one for four hundred gallons.' [7] " 'And how much do you owe my employer?' he asked the next man. 'A thousand bushels of wheat,' was the reply. 'Here,' the manager said, 'take your bill and replace it with one for only eight hundred bushels.' [8] "The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the citizens of this world are more shrewd than the godly are. [9] I tell you, use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven. [10] "Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones. If you cheat even a little, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. [11] And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? [12] And if you are not faithful with other people's money, why should you be trusted with money of your own? [13] "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (NLT)